Ignorance
by TwinkleToesToo
Summary: A very short oneshot. Ashley ponders ignorance.


My note….Okay, this is another, very short, one-shot that begged to be written. I'm not sure if I can do it justice(I've never written first person), but I will surely try. Ashley looks at how the world perceives her and Jimmy, and how she perceives the world now that she's with him.

IGNORANCE

They say ignorance is bliss……I wonder.

The dictionary defines ignorance as….the lack of knowledge, education or awareness.

Is it the naïve ignorance of childhood? The care-freeness of seeing the world through rose colored glasses. Or is it the biased form of ignorance? When others make assumptions and characterizations, before they get the facts.

I've seen it first hand. I really didn't notice it at first, I was caught up I the moment…you could say _I _was ignorant to it. But as the days went on, I began to notice the stares. I've dealt with stares before...turning from average Ashley to goth girl, would definitely turn some heads...but this was different.

At first I was angry….What gives these people the right? Haven't you ever seen a person in a wheelchair before? But, then I started to watch them, watching us…and that anger turned to sadness. See, I've known Jimmy most of my life, I probably know everything there is to know about him. I've seen his sensitivity, his talent, his frustration, his compassion, his perseverance, and I've been on the receiving end of his enormous capacity for love. They haven't… all they can see is the chair…and for that reason alone, I feel sorry for them.

Next come the comments. After the hidden glances and stares, those same people would whisper something to the person next to them or mumble something to themselves, in passing. What's even more ridiculous is, I've actually had strangers come up to me and say things..."What a brave girl" or "He's so lucky to have you". Huh? Are these people serious? They've totally got it backward. Can't they see that Jimmy's the brave one...and I'm the lucky one?

Then there's the avoidance. The one's who immediately look away, doing their best not to make eye contact. They look to the side, or up, or down at the ground, trying not to notice the metal object rolling toward them, but always glancing back...their curiosity has gotten the best of them. If only they would give in to that curiosity and get to know the amazing person, sitting there.

I'm not trying to generalize or say that all people act this way. It's just a couple of things I've picked up on, in the last few months, since I started dating Jimmy again. And when I ask how all of this affects him, he usually shrugs it off and says, "It goes with the territory". But the truth is, I know it sometimes bothers him...and that bothers me.

He's coming toward me, wearing that smile that lights up his whole face...the smile that makes me fall more in love with him, each time I see it. He reaches his hand out and I gladly give him mine. He lovingly looks up at me and softly kisses my hand, and the entire world around us, just disappears.

They say ignorance is bliss...and as my love, gently pulls me onto his lap, his warm lips meeting mine...I'd have to say, I agree.

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Okay...I really hope you guys like this one, like I said, it's the first time I'm writting in first person. I really wanted to write an all Ashley fic, in her own thoughts...but, I have to admit, I don't have a lot of interaction with disabled people, so I hope what Ashley talks about, isn't too far off.

Hey you awesome reviewers for Closure...Many thanks to hello its lo...I know how you feel, I am very anti-Crash. Annie...thanks for the reat review, I'm so glad you liked it. Candlelightvisual...thanks, I read in your profile, you usually only read Palex fics, so I happy you read and reviewed my story, thanks. And Raina-Bess...you probably already know how much I appreciate your reviews, but I'll tell you again...thank you...oh, and thanks, so much, for the reviews of Twist of Fate.

Degrassi does not belong to me.


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